Outdoor unit

ABSTRACT

Provided is an outdoor unit, including: a main body including a front panel; a top panel covering a top surface of the main body; and an air outlet grille mounted to the front panel. The top panel includes a bending piece portion formed along a periphery of the top panel. The air outlet grille includes a fixing piece portion formed along an edge of the air outlet grille. The air outlet grille is mounted so that the fixing piece portion of the air outlet grille is sandwiched between the front panel and the bending piece portion.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an outdoor unit of an air-conditioningapparatus, and more particularly, to an outdoor unit of anair-conditioning apparatus, which is capable of preventing waterdroplets from being frozen between a fan and a bellmouth.

BACKGROUND ART

In an outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus, during heatingoperation, when water droplets generated from rain, snow, and the likeintrude into a casing and a temperature of the outside air is low, thewater droplets are frozen between a fan and a bellmouth. This may hindernormal rotation of the fan, or may cause noise.

Consequently, in the related-art outdoor unit of the air-conditioningapparatus, a protruding part is formed around an air outlet opening of afront panel, and a waterproofing part (slanted part) that abuts on theprotruding part is formed on an air outlet grille. When the air outletgrille is mounted to the front panel of the casing, the protruding partand the waterproofing part are brought into intimate contact with eachother. Thus, water droplets generated from rainwater and the like areprevented from intruding into the bellmouth and the like provided at theinside of the air outlet grille (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application PublicationNo. Hei 08-178365 (see FIGS. 1 and 2, etc.)

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

However, in the related-art outdoor unit of the air-conditioningapparatus, the protruding part formed around the air outlet opening ofthe front panel and the waterproofing part (slanted part) formed on theair outlet grille are brought into intimate contact with each other soas to prevent the water droplets from intruding into the casing.Consequently, when the front panel and the air outlet grille are warpedor deformed during a constituting process, a gap is formed between theprotruding part and the waterproofing part, and hence there is a problemin that intrusion of the water droplets may not be prevented fromoccurring. Further, also when the front panel and the air outlet grilleare deformed due to aged deterioration after installation of the outdoorunit , waterproofing performance cannot similarly be secured.

The present invention has been made in order to solve theabove-mentioned problem, and an object thereof is to prevent, with asimple configuration of a casing of an outdoor unit, reduction inblowing performance, occurrence of noise, and the like, which may becaused by frozen water droplets intruding from an outside of the casinginto the casing, particularly into a periphery of a bellmouth and thelike provided in a vicinity of an air outlet grille.

Solution to Problem

According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is providedan outdoor unit, including: a main body including a front panel; a toppanel covering a top surface of the main body; and an air outlet grillemounted to the front panel. The top panel includes a bending pieceportion formed along a periphery of the top panel. The air outlet grilleincludes a fixing piece portion formed along an edge of the air outletgrille. The air outlet grille is mounted so that the fixing pieceportion of the air outlet grille is sandwiched between the front paneland the bending piece portion.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the outdoor unit of the one embodiment of the presentinvention, the air outlet grille is mounted so that the fixing pieceportion of the air outlet grille is sandwiched between the front paneland the bending piece portion of the top panel. Consequently, it ispossible to prevent, with a simple configuration of the casing of theoutdoor unit, reduction in blowing performance, occurrence of noise, andthe like, which may be caused by frozen water droplets intruding fromthe outside of the casing into the casing, particularly into theperiphery of the bellmouth and the like provided in the vicinity of theair outlet grille.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[FIG. 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an outdoorunit according to Embodiment 1.

[FIG. 2] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view illustrating the outdoorunit according to Embodiment 1.

[FIG. 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a periphery of afront panel of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1.

[FIG. 4] FIG. 4 is an external perspective view illustrating an outdoorunit according to Embodiment 2.

[FIG. 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a periphery of afront panel of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 2.

[FIG. 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a periphery of afront panel of an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 3.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Now, an outdoor unit according to the present invention is describedwith reference to the drawings.

Note that, a configuration described below is merely an example, and theoutdoor unit according to the present invention is not limited to thefollowing configuration.

Further, illustration of detailed structure is simplified or omitted asappropriate.

Still further, repeated or similar description is simplified or omittedas appropriate.

Embodiment 1

An overview of structure of an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1 isdescribed with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the outdoor unitaccording to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view illustrating the outdoor unitaccording to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a periphery of a frontpanel of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a casing of the outdoor unit of anair-conditioning apparatus includes a front panel 2 constituting a frontsurface side of a main body 1 having a box-like shape, a top panel 3constituting a top surface of the main body 1, and an air outlet grille6.

An air outlet opening 2 a is formed into a circular shape in the frontpanel 2, and a bellmouth 4 having a substantially cylindrical shape isformed around the air outlet opening 2 a integrally with the front panel2.

Inside the bellmouth 4, blades of a fan 5 are arranged along thecylindrical shape of the bellmouth 4. Further, a heat exchanger (notshown) is arranged on a back surface side of the main body 1, which isopposed to the front panel 2.

Along a peripheral edge of the main body 1 on the top surface side, avertical stepped portion 1 a and a horizontal stepped portion 1 b areformed. The vertical stepped portion 1 a has a vertical surface on aninner side of the casing with respect to a side wall surface of the mainbody 1, and the horizontal stepped portion 1 b horizontally connects theside wall surface and the vertical stepped portion 1 a of the main body1. A bending piece portion 3 a formed along an outer periphery of thetop panel 3 is fitted onto the vertical stepped portion 1 a, and closesthe top surface of the main body 1, to thereby form the casing of theoutdoor unit. Then, an outer surface of the bending piece portion 3 a ofthe top panel 3 is flush with the side wall surface of the main body 1.

In a front view of the main body 1, the air outlet grille 6 has, forexample, a rectangular shape. A plurality of flat-plate-like louvers 6 cdefine openings that allow the outside air, which is to be blown by thefan 5, to flow therethrough for heat exchange.

Along an upper edge of the air outlet grille 6, there are formed afixing piece portion 6 a, and an inclined tongue portion 6 b formedcontinuously with the fixing piece portion 6 a.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the fixing piece portion 6 a has a plate-likeshape, and is formed so as to extend upward from a back surface side ofthe air outlet grille 6. Further, when viewed from a front surface ofthe air outlet grille 6, the fixing piece portion 6 a is formed along awidthwise direction of the air outlet grille 6.

The fixing piece portion 6 a is fixed along the vertical stepped portion1 a of the front panel 2 of the main body 1 so that an air outlet planeof the air outlet grille 6 is substantially vertical when the air outletgrille 6 is mounted to the main body 1.

The inclined tongue portion 6 b is formed so as to extend with adownward inclination from a lower end of the fixing piece portion 6 atoward the front surface side of the main body 1. A front end portion ofthe inclined tongue portion 6 b is substantially flush with front endportions of the plurality of louvers 6 c.

As materials for the components, for example, a steel sheet may beadopted for the main body 1 and the top panel 3, and a resin may beadopted for the air outlet grille 6 and the fan 5. However, materialsfor the components are not limited thereto.

Next, description is made of a process of assembling components providedaround the air outlet grille 6 of the outdoor unit according toEmbodiment 1.

First, the air outlet grille 6 is temporarily mounted so as to cover theair outlet opening 2 a of the front panel 2 of the main body 1. Then, asillustrated in FIG. 3, the air outlet grille 6 is temporarily mounted sothat the back surface side of the fixing piece portion 6 a formed alongthe upper edge of the air outlet grille 6 abuts on the front surfaceside of the vertical stepped portion 1 a of the front panel 2 of themain body 1, and that a lower surface of the fixing piece portion 6 aabuts on the horizontal stepped portion 1 b of the main body 1.

Next, the top panel 3 is mounted from an upper surface side of the mainbody 1, and the bending piece portion 3 a of the top panel 3 is fittedonto the vertical stepped portion 1 a of the main body 1. Thus, thefixing piece portion 6 a of the air outlet grille 6 is sandwichedbetween the vertical stepped portion 1 a of the front panel 2 of themain body 1 and the bending piece portion 3 a of the top panel 3. Then,the inclined tongue portion 6 b is shaped so as to extend with adownward inclination from the lower end of the fixing piece portion 6 atoward the front surface side of the main body 1.

Finally, a lower portion of the air outlet grille 6 is fixed to thefront panel 2 with engaging means, such as screws and engaging claws.Thus, mounting of the air outlet grille 6 to the main body 1 iscompleted.

When the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1 is assembled in theabove-mentioned manner, an upper surface of the inclined tongue portion6 b of the air outlet grille 6 is positioned below the bending pieceportion 3 a of the top panel 3 under a state in which the fixing pieceportion 6 a is mounted to the main body 1, and the upper surface of theinclined tongue portion 6 b has a surface inclined downward toward thefront surface side of the main body 1.

Next, description is made of actions when the outdoor unit according toEmbodiment 1 is operated.

When the fan 5 of the outdoor unit is driven so as to rotate, theoutside air that is present outside the main body 1 is sucked into theinside of the main body 1 from the back surface side of the main body 1.The heat exchanger (not shown) is disposed on the back surface side ofthe main body 1. The heat exchanger functions as a condenser when anindoor unit performs cooling operation, and functions as an evaporatorwhen the indoor unit performs heating operation.

The outside air, which has passed through the heat exchanger, is blownby the blades of the fan 5 to the front surface side of the main body 1of the outdoor unit, and then is blown out from the air outlet opening 2a of the front panel 2 through an inner wall surface side of thecylindrical bellmouth 4. The outside air blown out from the air outletopening 2 a passes between the louvers 6 c of the air outlet grille 6,and is discharged from the main body 1 of the outdoor unit.

Now, description is made of a flow of water droplets generated fromrain, snow, and the like when the water droplets fall down onto theoutdoor unit according to Embodiment 1.

The water droplets, which are generated from rain, snow, and the likecoming down onto the top panel 3 of the outdoor unit, fall down onto theinclined tongue portion 6 b of the air outlet grille 6 along the bendingpiece portion 3 a from the top panel 3 illustrated in FIG. 3. The uppersurface of the inclined tongue portion 6 b includes the surface inclineddownward toward the front surface side of the main body 1, and hence thewater droplets flow over the inclined tongue portion 6 b toward thefront surface side of the main body 1, and then fall down from the frontend portion of the inclined tongue portion 6 b. The water droplets,which have thus fallen down, fall downward along surfaces of the louvers6 c. Alternatively, when the fan 5 is driven so as to rotate, the waterdroplets fall down while being carried off by a blown-out airflowfurther toward the front surface side of the main body 1.

Description is made of effects obtained with the configuration of theoutdoor unit according to Embodiment 1.

As described above, in the casing of the outdoor unit according toEmbodiment 1, the fixing piece portion 6 a of the air outlet grille 6 isarranged so as to be sandwiched between the vertical stepped portion 1 aof the front panel 2 of the main body 1 and the bending piece portion 3a of the top panel 3. Thus, the water droplets, which are generated fromrain, snow, and the like coming down onto the inclined tongue portion 6b, are dammed up by the fixing piece portion 6 a without intruding intothe main body 1.

In particular, in the weather such as rain or snow, in the case wherethe heat exchanger of the outdoor unit functions as the evaporator, whena temperature of the air having passed through the heat exchanger isreduced and thus the water droplets are present in the main body 1, thewater droplets may be frozen. In particular, when the water droplets arefrozen on the bellmouth 4 and the like provided around the fan 5,reduction in blowing performance of the fan 5, occurrence of noise,breakage of the fan 5, and the like may be caused. However, the casingof the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1 does not allow theintrusion of the water droplets into a periphery of the bellmouth 4,thereby being capable of securing the blowing performance of the fan 5and preventing the breakage of the fan 5. Further, even when the frontpanel 2 and the air outlet grille 6 are warped or deformed, as long asthe fixing piece portion 6 a is arranged between the bending pieceportion 3 a and the vertical stepped portion 1 a of the front panel 2,the water droplets do not fall down to the bellmouth 4 side.Consequently, the same effects as the above-mentioned effects may beobtained.

Embodiment 2 An overview of structure of an outdoor unit according toEmbodiment 2 is described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 4 is an external perspective view illustrating the outdoor unitaccording to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a periphery of a frontpanel of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 2.

The outdoor unit according to Embodiment 2 is similar to the outdoorunit according to Embodiment 1 in the basic configuration in which thefixing piece portion 6 a of the air outlet grille 6 is sandwichedbetween the vertical stepped portion 1 a of the front panel 2 of themain body 1 and the bending piece portion 3 a of the top panel 3.However, in Embodiment 1, the air outlet grille 6 has such aconfiguration that the inclined tongue portion 6 b is formed so as toextend from the lower end of the fixing piece portion 6 a to the frontsurface side of the main body 1, whereas a configuration of an upperedge of the air outlet grille 6 is different in Embodiment 2. Therefore,the differences from the air outlet grille 6 according to Embodiment 1are described.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the upper edge of the air outlet grille 6 ofthe outdoor unit according to Embodiment 2 includes a lateral inclinedtongue portion 6 d having such a shape that a center is highest anddownward inclined surfaces extend from the center laterally. The lateralinclined tongue portion 6 d is formed so as to extend from the lower endof the fixing piece portion 6 a to the front surface side of the mainbody 1.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 5, in cross-sectional view of the frontpanel 2, the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d is shaped so as to havea horizontal upper surface. Note that, description is made of an examplein which the upper surface of the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d ishorizontal in cross-sectional view of the front panel 2 as describedabove. However, similarly to the inclined tongue portion 6 b accordingto Embodiment 1, the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d may furtherhave a downward inclination extending toward the front surface side ofthe main body 1.

A process of assembling components provided around the air outlet grille6 of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 2 is carried out similarlyto that of Embodiment 1. When the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 2is assembled, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the upper surface of the lateralinclined tongue portion 6 d of the air outlet grille 6 is positionedbelow the bending piece portion 3 a of the top panel 3, and includesdownward inclined surfaces extending laterally when viewed from thefront surface side of the main body 1.

Next, description is made of a flow of water droplets generated fromrain, snow, and the like in a case where the water droplets fall downonto the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 2.

The water droplets, which are generated from rain, snow, and the likecoming down onto the top panel 3 of the outdoor unit, fall down onto thelateral inclined tongue portion 6 d of the air outlet grille 6 along thebending piece portion 3 a from the top panel 3 illustrated in FIG. 5.The upper surface of the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d includesthe downward inclined surfaces extending laterally in front view of themain body 1, and hence the water droplets flow over the lateral inclinedtongue portion 6 d separately in rightward and leftward directions, andthen fall down from both right and left end portions of the lateralinclined tongue portion 6 d. The water droplets that have thus fallendown fall downward along both end portions of the louvers 6 c.

Note that, in FIG. 4, description is made of an example in which theupper surface of the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d includes thedownward inclined surfaces extending laterally in front view of the mainbody 1. However, the upper surface of the lateral inclined tongueportion 6 d may include an inclined surface having a downwardinclination extending in one of the rightward and leftward directions.

Description is made of effects obtained with the configuration of theoutdoor unit according to Embodiment 2.

Similarly to Embodiment 1, in the casing of the outdoor unit accordingto Embodiment 2, there is adopted such a configuration that the fixingpiece portion 6 a of the air outlet grille 6 is arranged so as to besandwiched between the vertical stepped portion 1 a of the front panel 2of the main body 1 and the bending piece portion 3 a of the top panel 3,and that the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d is formed so as toextend from the lower end of the fixing piece portion 6 a toward thefront surface side of the main body 1. Thus, the water droplets, whichare generated from rain, snow, and the like coming down onto the lateralinclined tongue portion 6 d, are dammed up by the fixing piece portion 6a without intruding into the main body 1.

In particular, in the weather such as rain or snow, in a case where theheat exchanger of the outdoor unit functions as the evaporator, when atemperature of the air having passed through the heat exchanger isreduced and thus the water droplets are present in the main body 1, thewater droplets may be frozen. In particular, when the water droplets arefrozen on the bellmouth 4 and the like provided around the fan 5,reduction in blowing performance of the fan 5, occurrence of noise,breakage of the fan 5, and the like may be caused. However, similarly toEmbodiment 1, the casing of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 2does not allow intrusion of the water droplets into a periphery of thebellmouth 4, thereby being capable of securing the blowing performanceof the fan 5 and preventing the breakage of the fan 5. Further, evenwhen the front panel 2 and the air outlet grille 6 are warped ordeformed, as long as the fixing piece portion 6 a is arranged betweenthe bending piece portion 3 a and the vertical stepped portion 1 a ofthe front panel 2, the water droplets do not fall down to the bellmouth4 side. Consequently, the same effects as the above-mentioned effectscan be obtained.

Embodiment 3

An overview of structure of an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 3 isdescribed with reference to FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a periphery of a frontpanel of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 3.

The outdoor unit according to Embodiment 3 is similar to the outdoorunits according to Embodiments 1 and 2 in the basic configuration inwhich the fixing piece portion 6 a of the air outlet grille 6 issandwiched between the vertical stepped portion 1 a of the front panel 2of the main body 1 and the bending piece portion 3 a of the top panel 3.Further, an air outlet grille according to Embodiment 3 has a commonfeature in configuration of the upper edge of the air outlet grille 6having such a shape that a center is highest and downward inclinedsurfaces extend from the center laterally like the lateral inclinedtongue portion 6 d according to Embodiment 2. Therefore, the differencesfrom the air outlet grilles 6 according to Embodiments 1 and 2 aredescribed.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the upper edge of the air outlet grille 6 ofthe outdoor unit according to Embodiment 3 includes a lateral inclinedtongue portion 6 d having such a shape that a center is highest anddownward inclined surfaces extend from the center laterally. The lateralinclined tongue portion 6 d is formed so as to extend from the lower endof the fixing piece portion 6 a to the front surface side of the mainbody 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 dintegrally includes a protruding piece portion 6 e arranged on the frontsurface side of the main body 1 in cross-sectional view of the frontpanel 2 so as to extend from the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 dupright substantially in a vertical direction. The protruding pieceportion 6 e is formed along a widthwise direction of the air outletgrille 6 when viewed from the front surface side of the air outletgrille 6.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 6, in cross-sectional view of the frontpanel 2, the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d is shaped so as to havea horizontal upper surface. Note that, description is made of an examplein which the upper surface of the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d ishorizontal in cross-sectional view of the front panel 2 as describedabove. However, similarly to the inclined tongue portion 6 b accordingto Embodiment 1, the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d may furtherhave a downward inclination extending toward the front surface side ofthe main body 1.

A process of assembling components provided around the air outlet grille6 of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 3 is carried out similarlyto that of Embodiment 1. When the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 3is assembled, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the upper surface of the lateralinclined tongue portion 6 d of the air outlet grille 6 is positionedbelow the bending piece portion 3 a of the top panel 3, and includesdownward inclined surfaces extending laterally when viewed from thefront surface side of the main body 1.

Further, the protruding piece portion 6 e is formed on the upper surfaceof the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d on the front surface side ofthe main body 1.

Next, description is made of a flow of water droplets generated fromrain, snow, and the like in a case where the water droplets fall downonto the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 3.

The water droplets, which are generated from rain, snow, and the likecoming down onto the top panel 3 of the outdoor unit, fall down onto thelateral inclined tongue portion 6 d of the air outlet grille 6 along thebending piece portion 3 a from the top panel 3 illustrated in FIG. 6.The upper surface of the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d includesthe downward inclined surfaces extending laterally in front view of themain body 1, and the protruding piece portion 6 e is formed at an endportion of the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d on the front surfaceside. Consequently, the water droplets flow over the lateral inclinedtongue portion 6 d separately in the rightward and leftward directions,and then fall down from both the right and left end portions of thelateral inclined tongue portion 6 d. The water droplets that have thusfallen down fall downward along both the end portions of the louvers 6c.

Description is made of effects obtained with the configuration of theoutdoor unit according to Embodiment 3.

Similarly to Embodiments 1 and 2, in the casing of the outdoor unitaccording to Embodiment 3, there is adopted such a configuration thatthe fixing piece portion 6 a of the air outlet grille 6 is arranged soas to be sandwiched between the vertical stepped portion 1 a of thefront panel 2 of the main body 1 and the bending piece portion 3 a ofthe top panel 3, and that the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d isformed so as to extend from the lower end of the fixing piece portion 6a toward the front surface side of the main body 1. Thus, the waterdroplets, which are generated from rain, snow, and the like coming downonto the lateral inclined tongue portion 6 d, are dammed up by thefixing piece portion 6 a without intruding into the main body 1.

In particular, in the weather such as rain or snow, in a case where theheat exchanger of the outdoor unit functions as the evaporator, when atemperature of the air having passed through the heat exchanger isreduced and thus the water droplets are present in the main body 1, thewater droplets may be frozen. In particular, when the water droplets arefrozen on the bellmouth 4 and the like provided around the fan 5,reduction in blowing performance of the fan 5, occurrence of noise,breakage of the fan 5, and the like may be caused. However, similarly toEmbodiments 1 and 2, the casing of the outdoor unit according toEmbodiment 3 does not allow intrusion of the water droplets into aperiphery of the bellmouth 4, thereby being capable of securing theblowing performance of the fan 5 and preventing the breakage of the fan5.

Further, even when the front panel 2 and the air outlet grille 6 arewarped or deformed, as long as the fixing piece portion 6 a is arrangedbetween the bending piece portion 3 a and the vertical stepped portion 1a of the front panel 2, the water droplets do not fall down to thebellmouth 4 side. Consequently, the same effects as the above-mentionedeffects can be obtained. In addition, the protruding piece portion 6 eis formed on the upper surface of the lateral inclined tongue portion 6d on the front surface side of the main body 1, and hence the waterdroplets do not fall down to the front surface side of the main body 1.Therefore, it is possible to prevent the water droplets from beingscattered to the front surface side of the main body 1 by the airflowthat is blown out when the fan 5 is driven so as to rotate.

Embodiments 1 to 3 are described above, but the present invention is notlimited to the description of the respective embodiments, and all orpart of the respective embodiments may be combined.

1. An outdoor unit, comprising: a main body comprising a front panel ona front surface side thereof; a top panel covering a top surface of themain body; and an air outlet grille mounted to the front panel, the toppanel comprising a bending piece portion formed along a periphery of thetop panel, the air outlet grille comprising a fixing piece portionformed along an edge of the air outlet grille, the air outlet grillebeing mounted so that the fixing piece portion of the air outlet grilleis sandwiched between the front panel and the bending piece portion. 2.The outdoor unit of claim 1, wherein the air outlet grille furthercomprises an inclined tongue portion formed so as to extend from a lowerend of the fixing piece portion.
 3. The outdoor unit of claim 2, whereinan upper surface of the inclined tongue portion comprises a downwardinclination extending toward the front surface side of the main body. 4.The outdoor unit of claim 2, wherein an upper surface of the inclinedtongue portion comprises a downward inclination extending in one ofrightward and leftward directions when viewed from the front surfaceside of the main body.
 5. The outdoor unit of claim 2, wherein an uppersurface of the inclined tongue portion comprises a downward inclinationextending toward both right and left ends of the inclined tongue portionwhen viewed from the front surface side of the main body.
 6. The outdoorunit of claim 2, wherein the inclined tongue portion comprises aprotruding piece portion arranged on the front surface side of the mainbody so as to extend from the inclined tongue portion uprightsubstantially in a vertical direction.
 7. The outdoor unit of claim 1,further comprising a vertical stepped portion formed along an upper edgeof the front panel so as to be stepped with respect to a plane in whichthe front panel is formed, wherein the air outlet grille is mounted sothat the fixing piece portion is sandwiched between the vertical steppedportion and the bending piece portion.